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UW-Air Force postgame thoughts

Can’t sugar-coat this one folks, this was Wyoming’s worst loss of the season so far.

A 12-2 start and 24-10 first-half lead evaporated and turned into a 58-53 home loss to Air Force, which fired its coach last week and had lost seven straight games.

“We did not have an urgency, we didn’t not have a connectedness and we didn’t’t have an energy. There was no energy in the building,” coach Larry Shyatt said.

There was no energy in the building as the announced crowd of 4,881 was as pathetic as the game itself. However, other than the first 11 minutes or so, there wasn’t much to cheer about.

UW shot 26.1 percent in the second half and made only six baskets. It was 1 of 12 frm 3-point range in the second half and 4 of 21 from the game.

The Cowboys did a good job of going inside to senior center Adam Waddell as he had 11 points in the first half. But just four the rest of the game as Air Force went to a 2-3 zone.

Junior forward Leonard Washington was a non-factor with seven points and three turnovers. He rebounded it well with nine.

I will say Air Force junior guard Michael Lyons could play for anyone in the MW. He had 24 points on 9 of 15 shooting and 6 of 8 from 3-point range.

But for Shyatt, this game cane down to a lack of defense even though UW held Air Force to less than 60 points.

“We were beaten on the ball and off the dribble. If you watch the tape I’m going to say we were beaten off the dribble 18 to 20 times,” he said. “We usually care a lot more about that.”

Shyatt and junior guard Luke Martinez were asked what this loss does to UW’s postseason chances. The Cowboys were being mentioned as a team on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament.

Neither said much, and Martinez said that’s for “us” meaning the media and fans to talk about. But as of now that bubble has burst.

However, Shyatt said: “We focus on the moment. Those things are coming and are going to get there. Only ask that of which you have earned and never ask for anything more. Air Force earned this win.”

He’s right about that.

UW plays at Border War rival Colorado State at 7 p.m. Saturday. Maybe that will help motivate them to put this game behind it. But the way this game went for the Cowboys, their next opponent shouldn’t matter. They should want to put this one behind them ASAP.

For more on the game and comments on the return of junior point guard Derrious Gilmore who was academically ineligible the last nine games, see Thursday’s Wyoming Tribune Eagle and Laramie Boomerang.

Sorry for no postgame video. Had camera and computer problems. They both may be thrown out the window and onto I-80 on my way home tonight.

14 thoughts on “UW-Air Force postgame thoughts”

Yikes- up 24-10; then literally get spanked at home. Could not believe the lack of intensity after watching us shut down New Mexico, a team on the road whom is now in the lead of the MWC.
Washington, looked like he forgot how to move- gave up the base line drive countless times. This is a team game, but our leaders need to be enforcers- not on the bench in critical junctures of runs by opposing teams. For us to measure up come tourney time, Defense is the key.

As far as offense, looked like stand around and jack 3’s, turnover city and sloppy sets with no rotation. When Adam did get the ball in deep, he slammed it. Simply put, move the ball and make Air Force foul. Lyons had no one in his jock strap the entire game. D-up. This game sucked. Reminded me of Schroyer days, I realize that its only a flashing memory and Shyatt has already neutered the rhetoric with admissions of responsibility and a sickness that each player slept with last night and will live with until CSU at the Moby….but, all the good things that have occurred to this point will come crashing down if the Cowboys forget what got them here which is Defensive Toughness. Go Pokes.

correct, lack of energy in the building last night, very disappointed with the lack of fan support last nite. It seemed like the players were waiting for the place to explode and it never took place…sure hope that the last 2 we get at least 6500, afterall way above the expectations we all were looking foward to this year!!! Let’s fill Moby and see what happens, no need to fall off the bandwagon yet!!!!!!!!!!!

After watching the last two games it is obivious that the Cowboys are still not a good shooting team.This has been a problem fo several years and needs to be addressed. Hope that Shyatt’s new recruits can shoot.
On a different note= I wonder if the Big 12 will still want TCU with the disaster that is taking place with their football program . The NCAA will almost assurdely put them on probation take away scholarships and ban them from Bowl Games for several years. I wonder now if Josh Dockson ishaving second thoughts about leaving Wyoming to go to TCU with all the BS going on. Mountain West Conference should be glad that TCU is no longer a member. Also I wonder is DC would take Dockson back if Josh were to ask?

Big XII won’t turn back TCU. Time will tell if there are NCAA violations but this is a police matter now. I don’t think it will do anything. This could open up an opportunity for Doctson. Don’t think he’s going anywhere. But from what I gather he wasn’t a big fan of Laramie so I’m pretty sure that won’t happen.

Gigs you think the kids are getting a little worn down with the lack of depth. The kids play hard most of the time and gaurding Air Force all night can wear you down sometimes. Air Force got hot and we got a little stagnant on offense when they went to that zone. That first 10 to 15 minutes first half we looked pretty good ,coach I think was trying to rest some of the kids and Air Force found there swagger and the rest is history. Now this is a copy cat league and where going to see more zone defense so we better start hitting some outside shots or we might find a hard time finding a couple more wins. l’d like to see a little faster ball movement on offense. Maybe take there guy on the dribble to the basket get a few fouls called on the other team. You got to figure this is the first time these kids have played organized basket ball together as a team. GOOD LUCK AT CSU POKES.

I don’t think he was trying to rest guys looking at their minutes. This isn’t the time for rest. Everyone is tired and beat up this time of year. Just played poorly. Need to do a lot better just to have a chance to be competitive in this league.

GIGS I read where the crowd was a little sparse an kind of quiet. I don’t know if it’s because all the games are televised or not. People around the surrounding area would rather stay home and watch I guess.Maybe with new conference we could go back to having traveling partners. Even over here from Kemmerer me and a couple guys would go to a couple series a year when they had a thursday.saturday the same week, catch two games at once was kinda fun. Boy we had some fun back in those days. Maybe format coming back I hope. Give Larry and crew some time. Nothing like being there watching a game live cheering the pokes on, makes you kinda fell like your helping them win a little.Maybe should of looked for a job in Laramie when I was a youngster instead started in the coal mine.

Watching the game on my 55″ HDTV is always the best option, rather than driving 140 miles each way from Casper across the snow-covered, blizzard-ravaged, windswept desolate prairie desert even once to Laramie, let alone several times a year. Why go out into the cold and wind and risk hitting a deer for an overpriced rock hard seat in a building that lacks any warmth or spirit, and whose sense of history has vanished over the last decade ? I would feel the same way even if I lived in Laramie, Cheyenne, Fort Collins, or Denver. The roads are better from those locales to the Double A, but watching games on state of the art audio/video technology now completely trumps the experience of physically attending a game, especially now that I am in my 30s and work at least ten to twelve hour days 5-6 days per week running my own business. I am convinced that getting older means eliminating the carefree activities and actions of my youthful past are essential, especially with the price of fuel being as high as it is and expected to exceed $4.50 per gallon by the time the ’12 Wyoming football season is here. It is evident that many others are of the same mindset.

YOU, and people like you, are the reason why are attendance is low, and will continue to stay low. With attitudes like that, we’ll never fill our stadiums, and maintain our place as a small fish in the big pond of college athletics. Big name schools don’t want to travel to Laramie Wyoming, because they see the attendance (or lack thereof) and deem themselves too good to play us. (I know, I get into frequent arguements over that kind of crap with fans from schools from the other big conferences). “If you can’t even fill your own stadium, why would we travel all that way for no exposure/no money?”

Make the cash and send some to the UW to support the Pokes. I totally get it, supporting the Pokes is the critical thing. As the Cowboys raise the bar in terms of winning percentage and entertainment value, the venues will show the participation at the gate.
Keep winning and the fans will appear. Although I have a difficult time figuring out why more students don’t show, it is the only show in town…University marketing efforts must improve. The “sell-out” at Moby tonight has a direct correlation to CSU success w/ Miles and the administration reaching out for active involvement. Shyatt, with time will prove to be Burman’s best hire to date. Within the next couple years this program will be on the verge of a major surprise on the national front. Proud of this University administration for making great choices in leadership and our resurgence in athletic programs.

Jack I’m not trying to get in a pi–ing contest with you or anybody else, every buddy has there agenda. But a team being 18-6 should be able to get 8000 average a game from laramie,cheyenne and maybe with a little more help from the students. Maybe what this team needs is one guy like Brett McFall raw raw kind of guy jumps in the student section gets them fired up. Remember back in the day we only had roughly 10000 students now we got something like 13000, Students what make the most noise and the great atmoshere in my opnion. Were not to bad I guess .If your not UNLV,New Mexico or SDSU you could shot a cannon off in some of those places not hit anyone. Give it time I guess it will come back.BEAT THE SHEEP

I would much prefer to go to a game in person than sitting in front of a tv. There is a need to support the Cowboys and Cowgirls. They deserve IT. I have been going to Wyoming football and basketball games for over 40 years, many times in BAD weather. I will continue to go to the gamesand show MY support in person. The people who stay at home and watch it on tv are not true fans in my opinion. I hope that the fans will show up for the game this week-end either at the CSU game to watch the Cowboys WIN or at home to watch the Cowgirls WIN.